MANCHESTER: After a Women’s Super League season that saw Chelsea crowned title winners on goal difference, runners-up Manchester City would love nothing more than to unseat the champions. The curtain comes up on the new campaign on Friday when Chelsea start WSL life without their feted manager Emma Hayes, now in charge of the United States, when they host Aston Villa.

There are numerous enticing storylines this term, chief among them being whether someone can wrest the title from the Blues, winners of seven out of the last eight under Hayes. Chelsea kick off their quest for a sixth successive crown with a new boss in former Lyon coach Frenchwoman Sonia Bompastor, who has the credentials to seamlessly transition into the post-Hayes era with similarly lofty expectations.

“I’m not really that different from Emma,” Bompastor told reporters during the WSL media day earlier this month. “Maybe I have a different vision, a different philosophy, but when you coach at a big club like Lyon or Chelsea, your management has to be the same. The expectations you have from your players, the expectations the players have from you, that’s the same.”

Bompastor, known as a hard-nosed leader, brought an impeccable record to Chelsea’s Cobham Training Ground, having guided Lyon to seven trophies in three seasons, including three league titles. The Frenchwoman also led Lyon to a Champions League title— the one trophy that eluded Hayes—in 2022.

Gareth Taylor’s Manchester City signed Vivianne Miedema, the WSL’s all-time leading goalscorer, in the quest for their first title, adding the Netherlands striker to an forward line that already includes last season’s Golden Boot winner Khadija Shaw.

“There were a few who were maybe surprised that a player of that ilk, with what she’s done in the game, was available,” Taylor has said of the former Arsenal and Bayern Munich player who has won domestic league titles along with the Euros.

“Really happy to have Viv, she’s a box of frogs at times, and she can be a challenge, but what you do have is a highly, highly talented player who, with everything she’s done in the past, still I feel has the best years in front of her.” City kick off their WSL campaign at Arsenal on Sunday.

Player moves

A busy transfer window saw plenty of moves, with Chelsea, City and Arsenal all very active as even clubs who previously eschewed the paying of fees in favor of picking up free agents got on board with the wheeling and dealing.

FA Cup holders Manchester United reconfigured their squad, adding Norway strikers Elisabeth Terland and Celine Bizet plus Sweden defender Anna Sandberg, with French forward Melvine Malard joining from Lyon after spending last season on loan.

Brighton & Hove Albion were active right up to the deadline on Sept 13, signing winger Nikita Parris from United as the final addition to an intriguing crop of arrivals that includes England’s former Chelsea forward Fran Kirby. After a strong showing last term, Liverpool’s off-season business may be of concern to some fans as seven players departed and only three came in.

Newcomers Crystal Palace will look to avoid the fate of Bristol City, who were relegated last term after one season in the top flight, and the recruitment of nine players may render them unrecognizable from the team that won the Championship.

However. One of the biggest stories to follow this season will be outside the top flight, where London City Lionesses have built a star-studded squad bristling with internationals in an effort to get out of the Championship into the top division.

Owned by Michele Kang—who also owns NWSL side Washington Spirit and French giants Lyon—the list of high-profile arrivals was led by Sweden’s Kosovare Aslanni, and anything less than promotion would surely be seen as a failure. — Reuters